The Secret of the Ring
by JediDragonRider22
Summary: Freya was a spellcaster from Alagaësia, or so she thought. At a young age of fifteen, she is suddenly thrust into a strange world she knows nothing about, and when she finds out the truth about the Ring she promised her mother she'd never take off, she begins to question her past, and realizes that she received more than she bargained for. Mostly LotR and IC characters. Some OCs.
1. Theif in the Night

**_Here's chapter one! Sorry it's so short, but I needed to get the plot moving._**

Freya felt for the lock in the dark. After a few seconds, her fingers grazed the keyhole.

"Ládrin," she whispered. _Open._

She heard a faint click, and the doorknob turned easily in her hand. She pushed gently, casting a spell of silence so the inhabitants of the building would not hear her enter.

The entry was as dark as the moonless sky outside. Not a single lamp was lit, but Freya didn't need the light to find her way. She was no elf by any means, and she couldn't see very well in the darkness, but she already knew where to look for what she needed. She could feel the life of the man who carried it.

She pressed herself against the cold wall and inched along, tracing the outline of the doors until she came upon the one she was looking for.

"Ládrin," she whispered again, and the door swung inward without a sound.

The man lay on the bed in a corner, breathing heavily. She knew he would be startled if she made an attempt to take what he carried around his neck.

"Theyna un slytha," she spoke into his ear. _Be silent and sleep._

The man's breathing slowed. He would not wake until she released the spell.

With that taken care of, she reached around the man's neck and unclasped the chain, grazing her fingers against his smooth skin. She slipped the necklace off his neck and placed it in the pocket of her cloak.

 _Time to go._

She turned to the doorway, and proceeded out the way she came, releasing the spell on the man as she mounted her horse. She nudged his sides and spoke quietly to him.

"Gánga, Islingr"

Her horse sped off. Freya spoke hushed words to remove her horses footsteps as they rode, leaving nothing behind but a few clouds of dust.

* * *

Freya slipped her feet out of her boots and sat on her bed, looking at the stone pendant she held in her palm. There were three diamonds hidden amongst the ancient carvings.

The mirror on her bedside table began to shimmer and she sighed. Slipping the pendant into her pocket again, she picked up the mirror as an image of her brother, Nremyn, spread itself across the glass.

"Greetings, sister."

"Hello, Nremyn."

"Did you get it?" he asked, referring to the object currently occupying Freya's pocket.

"Yes," she replied. A sad smile crossed her face.

"What's wrong?"

Freya pushed back a lock of hair covering her eyes. "It's nothing. I'm just a little worn out. That's all."

"I see. Well, have you tried it yet?"

"Tried what?"

Nremyn laughed, a deeper throaty laugh that made Freya wish he were young again, with his adorable little giggle that sent the whole room into a fit.

"Decoding it, of course! What else would you do with it?"

"Give it back, perhaps?" she whispered.

"Is that what's bothering you?" Nremyn's face wrinkled with concern. "I told you, Freya, he stole it from the Dragon Riders."

"Then why do we not give it to Eragon. If it belongs to the Riders, then-"

"Freya, I _am_ a Rider."

"Does Eragon even know?"

Nremyn paused. "I'll tell you what. I'll tell him tomorrow. Does that make you feel better? Now get some sleep. We'll talk again in the morning."

And with that, her brother faded from the mirror's view. Freya set it down again and stretched out on her bed to sleep. She didn't even bother changing out of her travel clothes. Her conversation with her brother replayed in her head over and over. And for some reason, Freya doubted that her brother would actually tell the legendary Dragon Rider anything at all.

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	2. More Than She Thought

Freya woke with a start.

Something didn't feel right. She grasped for the chain in her pocket and breathed a sigh of relief.

 _Still there._

But she could feel a difference in the air around her; it was as if a cloud was blocking her view of the sun: she knew it was there, but she couldn't see through to it.

And then it hit her.

 _Nremyn said the pendant had magical qualities even the elves couldn't understand…_

 _Why am I still keeping this in my pocket!?_

She pulled the chain out carefully, and held it up to the light. The pendant on it glowed brightly in the morning sun. It was smooth, but the material was unfamiliar. The three studded diamonds stared back at her like shining eyes, as if they were hiding something.

And they were. She knew that. What she and her brother hoped to find out was what exactly it was, and if it was somehow linked to their mother's mysterious disappearance.

Freya smiled at the thought of her mother. It made her sad to think that she was probably dead, but she knew her mother was a good person, and she valued every memory of her. To try to hide her from her thoughts would be tearing off a part of herself.

Her eyes shifted from the diamonds in her palm to the ring on her right index finger, gold, shining like it has just been polished. Her mother gave it to her just before she was gone and made her promise never to take it off unless she had the utmost reason to do so. She should guard it with her life. Freya had never understood why, but she knew that she didn't have to. She trusted her mother. And it wasn't like anyone had ever tried to take it from her. To the rest of the inhabitants of Farthen Dûr, it was just another ordinary gold band, nothing special.

To her it was everything.

Her thoughts jerked back to the present, to the stone resting in her hand. For a moment, she thought about calling on her brother again, but she knew he would be busy. She would have to start by herself.

"Mor un huildr," she spoke before she began, thoughts directed on the door. _Lock and hold._

She then set the chain carefully on an already cluttered desk and took a seat in her faded chair, in which she had spent many long nights reading.

She thought for a moment, and then began reciting the first incantation that came to mind, one Nremyn had made her memorize. It was a spell searching for any enchantments. She knew it would probably be of no help. She already knew they were there, and she would probably not be able to unwind them without a more complicated pattern, but it was a start.

It was a short spell, lasting only a little over a minute. When she finished, she felt the drain of energy, not much, but still there. She waited as the spell took effect.

 _Well, there's definitely something there. Wait… So it's a… What?_

The trace of thought vanished when she opened her eyes. The pendant was glowing, the three diamonds shining like silver stars, leaving spots in her vision. One line of the carvings had darkened, making them more distinct.

It was as if because she went searching for answers, that an answer came to her.

 _But that's impossible .I couldn't have-_

She was suddenly thrown to the floor. The pendant flew out of her hand, its power too strong for her to even comprehend. She sat up, dazed, and kept her eyes on the glowing marvel.

But just as soon as it had started, it stopped. She guided herself up, and walked over to where it had landed on the dark wood floor. It was warm to the touch, but that was all.

As soon as it was safely placed back in her pocket, she picked up her mirror. Nremyn couldn't have known what would happen. He needed to know what they were dealing with.

She cast the spell quickly and precisely, as she had done since she was six, when her powers first started to manifest themselves. The mirrors glass wavered for a second before projecting an image: Nremyn…

On his dragon.

She faltered, startled, then muttered under her breath.

"Hóna." _Hear._

The image shifted. Her brother was leaning over to get something out of the saddle bags: a small handheld mirror. She saw his lips move silently. When he finished, the image shifted again, and now all she could see was Nremyn's angular features, his normally bright face shrouded with worry.

"Are you alright?" Nremyn asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I told Eragon, as requested, and…" He paused.

"And what?" Freya was still surprised to hear that her brother had stayed true to his word.

"It's dangerous, Freya."

"Yes, I figured that out when it knocked me across the room."

"Freya!" he cried with alarm. "Why did you start without me."

"I figured you were busy. And by the way, you were never planning on riding out on Istalri."

"Freya, things have changed."

"What things."

"I'll tell you when I arrive. It shouldn't be long: only a couple of days. Until then, keep that thing locked up or on you at all times, and _don't_ attempt to cast any more spells on it. Understood? Promise me."

"I promise," she mumbled, annoyed that her brother was being so protective. After all, she _was_ older than him.

"Heíta?" _Promise?_

Freya sighed. She wasn't getting away with this.

"Heíta."

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 ** _Hope you like it! Please, please, please review!_**


	3. Secrets Revealed

_**Here's the next chapter! Sorry it's so short, but it's kind of an important chapter, and I didn't want to go overboard. Please review! I promise to update soon if I get reviews! (:**_

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It was only a day and a half before Nremyn arrived: a day and a half that Freya spent in her room, pouring over scrolls, trying to find answers, but there were none.

She had to wait for her brother. It was funny. She knew her brother better than anyone else, not even his fellow Dragon Riders, and yet, she had no idea why he would leave the home of the Riders.

She didn't have to wait long to find out. Nremyn rushed into her room, out of breath. A satchel was slung over his shoulder. He looked exhausted, like he would collapse if you tapped him. But he was clearly not concerned. Freya saw him reach for his collar, wear he always wore my mother's old sapphire brooch, in which he stored energy.

As soon as he caught his breath, he undid the clasp on the satchel and took out a piece of parchment. As he laid it down on the desk carefully, Freya looked over his shoulder, amazed by the scrollwork on the paper. she didn't recognize it as either the common tongue or the Ancient Language.

"It's Elvish." Her brother informed her.

"Elvish? It doesn't look so."

He turned, looking her directly in the eye.

"It's not from here."

"What on Earth are you talking about?!"

"I'm not entirely sure. Eragon found this between the pages of a book in the library... one Mother wrote." he paused. The memory of our mother took hold of him for a moment, and his eyes glistened. But he snapped back the moment after. "He was able to decipher it through an old spell, used by the ancient elves when they could not yet understand the speech of the other races."

"And...?"

"It talks of a land called 'Middle Earth.' And towards the bottom is an inscription from our mother."

"What did it say?" Freya asked, impatient.

"That she left us... She went into another world."

* * *

 _ **And what will happen next...?**_

 _ **You'll only know if you keep reading. And the more reviews I get, the more likely I am to continue!**_

 _ **So, the choice is clear... You MUST review!**_


	4. Plans

Freya gasped.

"Why would she leave?'

"I honestly have no idea. But there seems to be a spell linked to the pendant you stole, er, borrowed, that can get us there."

Freya jumped.

"How? We need to find her as soon as possible." She reached for the necklace in her pocket.

He grabbed her arm before she could pull it out.

"Freya, think this through! Why did she leave? She must have had a reason. And if she didn't tell us, do you think she really would have wanted us to go after her?"

"Nremyn, she's been gone too long. What if something happened to her? We need to go after her. I'm going. You can go if you want, or you can cower here instead. It's your choice, but I'm going to find Mother."

"You still don't know how."

"I'll figure it out. I already released some kind of spell within it. I'm just as good at spellcasting as you are, Nremyn. And I'm older than you. Now are you going to tell me or do I have to figure it out for myself? The latter, I'm sure would be more dangerous."

He sighed, clearly frustrated.

"Fine. I'll help you. And yes, I'm going too."

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 ** _So yes, I decided to keep the two of them together. I'm sorry this chapter isn't longer, but there will be more to come and it will come sooner if I get more reviews! Please take a minute to review! Thanks in advance!_**


	5. Spellcasting and Searching

_**Here's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long to update.**_ **_Thank you to all those who favorited, followed, and reviewed! Please keep doing so! All new readers, please do so! Thanks in advance!_**

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It took them three days, a good deal of magic, and extremely careful examination of the writing Nremyn had brought for them to figure out enough to cast a spell. And even then the two of them weren't even close to sure they would succeed.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Nremyn asked.

"I have a better question: Do you want to find Mother? Because I do. Now, are you going to help me cast this spell or not?"

"Ok. I will."

They held hands, holding the necklace between them. Then they began t chant, pronouncing each carefully crafted syllable individually, making sure they got everything right. It took a full ten minutes before they finished.

Nothing happened.

"Well, I guess we shou-" Nremyn was cut off by a gust of wind that knocked them to the floor. They tried to hold on to each other, but their fingers broke apart, throwing them to opposite sides of Freya's small room. Freya cried out, but her voice was blown away. Nremyn began to inch toward his sister, but found himself exhausted.

They both blacked out.

Freya woke up on the edge of a forest, thick and green and overgrown. But she could figure that out later. Right now she needed to find her brother.

"Nremyn!" she called.

No answer.

"Nremyn!"

Still no answer.

She looked around for a reflective surface. Finding none, she drew water out of the ground and put it in a small bowl-shaped rock. After catching her breath she cast a spell of scrying and adjusted it so she could hear as well.

Nremyn was in a forest, assumingly the same one she was on the edge of. He was currently unconscious. A wave of terror flooded through her as she took in the sight. Before she even emptied the water, she took off into the thick overgrowth of the forest.

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	6. Answers and Questions

Freya was hopelessly lost. She had run off without even thinking. Now she had no idea where she was.

She used a spell, in attempt at finding a way out, or a way to Nremyn, but there was a strange magic in the forest that blocked her view. She could only make out the faintest whispers, and they were no use to her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by singing, a loud, cheerful voice playing through the trees. Freya's spirits lifted as she sprung up from where she had been sitting. She chased after the voice, and eventually found it's owner, a strange-looking man wearing yellow boots and a blue jacket, with a battered hat perched upon his head. He stopped when he saw Freya.

"Hello there, I am Tom Bombadil. What brings you here?"

"I'm lost in these rough woods. I'm looking for my brother."

"Oh, so you must be Freya. Nremyn is waiting inside my house. I was actually looking for you. Come with me.

* * *

After being washed, fed, and given a place to stay, they left the next morning with bags supplied and filled with all sorts of food and tools for the journey ahead. Tom seemed to think it peculiar that he could see the ring on her finger, but Freya thought nothing of it.

After bidding Tom and his wife Goldberry farewell, Freya and Nremyn were off. They knew not where to look for their mother, but Tom had advised they go see the elves in Rivendell. A map was among the supplies n their bags.

The road would be long, but hopefully worth it.

* * *

They camped in a field next to a large tree that night. It was the only tree for at least a few hundred yards, but it supplied a little shelter. Freya laid out blankets for them to sleep on as Nremyn prepared a cold meal.

"So what do we do now?" Freya asked when she had finished.

"Well, according to the map, we head that way for a while." Nremyn pointed.

"That's not what I meant. We got here, but how do we get back? What if we can't find mother? What will we do then?"

"We will find her."

"How do you know."

"She's here somewhere. She must be."

"I hope so."

"What if the elves don't know where to look?"

"Let's deal with every problem as it comes. Right now, eat something and go to sleep. We'll need to be on the road early tomorrow if we hope to make any progress."

* * *

Their journey took many days and many nights, but at last they came upon Rivendell. It was enormous and fascinating. When she first beheld the immensity of the city, Freya was hypnotized by it's wonder and merely stood there staring at it in awe. Nremyn, too, couldn't believe what he was seeing. They crossed over a bridge, but got no farther before they were surrounded by elves, two of which were on horseback.

"What brings you to Rivendell?" one of the elves asked.

"We're looking for our mother. A friend told us to visit you here," Nremyn told the elf.

"And what is your mother's name?"

"Marya Elfysdaughter."

The elf appeared stunned.

"She isn't here, but she will be summoned. For now, you are our guests. I am Elrond. I am at your service."

"And we at yours."


End file.
